Agenda

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City Council Regular Meeting

Meeting Date:

03/05/2024

BACKGROUND

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is to meet and improve the safety and cancer prevention efforts related to firefighting safety and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) published NFPA 1500: Standard on Fire Departments Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program, which indicates "the fire department shall prevent exposure to firefighters and contamination of living and sleeping areas from exhaust emissions," making the issue a top priority.
To counteract the transmission of these hazards, emergency response architects and engineers started rethinking common practices and operating procedures for emergency services through improving building layouts and designs. The floor plan, materials and building systems all have a significant effect on mitigating cross-contamination and on providing protection from carcinogens. Our stations 3 and 4 have been or will be built with this in mind. Stations 1 and 2 were built as this standard was truly being developed and does not include the protection measures needed to be within compliance of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 1500.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicates the dangers of cancer-causing diesel fumes. There are several types of vehicle exhaust (VEX) removal systems, each unique in its own way. As one would expect, each has pros and cons regarding the capture, treatment and/or filtration of the exhaust. The three primary VEX system options are (in no particular order):

Hose-Based Direct Source Capture.
Vehicle-Mounted Direct Source Capture.
Building-Space Filtration.

Each fire station is unique and presents a different set of challenges. Station 3 is equipped with building-space filtration and vehicle mounted direct source capture. Station 4 will be equipped with the same equipment. Stations 1 and 2 are only equipped with vehicle-mounted direct source capture with no building-space filtration or hose-based direct source capture.

GOAL

Purchase emergency response vehicle hose-based direct source capture systems in stations 1 and 2 for every vehicle bringing Schertz Fire Department into compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1500: Standard on Fire Department Occupational Safety, Health, and Wellness Program.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

This grant would improve our cancer prevention programs, keeping firefighters, other responders and visitors healthy, working, and able to respond to the needs of our community without having to be concerned about carcinogens in the work place.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION

Recommend authorizing the City Manager to execute and deliver a grant application with the Department of Homeland Security - Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for vehicle exhaust extraction systems.

FISCAL IMPACT

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) has a 10% cost share which the City would be responsible for providing. With the equipment purchase and installation costing no more than $140,000 the City would be responsible for $14,000 if awarded grant funds.

RECOMMENDATION

Attachments
Resolution 24-R-28